One of the most shocking revelations of the #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements has been the death of Kentucky State Senator Dan Johnson. The 52-year-old first-term legislator and ultra-conservative preacher took his own life two days after it was reported that he had sexually assaulted a teenage girl in the basement apartment of his church.

For all of his preaching, the pastor of the Heart of Fire Church in Louisville was no saint. The man church members called “The Pope” repeatedly lied about his accomplishments, had been indicted for arson, and partied heavily.

Johnson was anti-gay and anti-Muslim, and he posted racist memes on Facebook. Some were so offensive, he was rebuked by the Kentucky Republican Party. For example, he posted an edited image of President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama with ape-like features. In one post, he wrote, “Allah sucks. Mohammed sucks. Islam sucks. Any of you Hadji’s have an issue with me saying this, PM me and I’ll gladly give you my address. You can come visit me, where I promise I will KILL YOU in my front yard!!”’

Remarkably, though, those actions did little to slow down Johnson’s political career, perhaps because the public was distracted by scandals surrounding other state officials’ alleged sexual misconduct. (Johnson also ran a dirty campaign in which he mercilessly slandered his opponent.) He was elected in 2016.Read More »

You make each day a special day. You know how, by just your being you. There's only one person in this whole world like you. And people can like you exactly as you are.

—Fred Rogers, speaking to his young audience on the TV show "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood"

There were so many sick children in there and my daughter was very, very ill . . . and I couldn’t bare it. I just went, “Nope, I’m done.” I mean, I just knew I could make these choices for me . . . but I couldn’t make these choices for my children. I just had to get her out.

—Spanky Taylor, 17-year former member of Scientology

There is a lot of talk today from the Religious Right about "protecting the unborn," but there is not enough talk about protecting the children we already have from abuse. . . . Our children are our future. And our children are our moral responsibility.

—Anne Rice

Some beliefs are like walled gardens. They encourage exclusiveness and the feeling of being especially privileged. Other beliefs are expansive and lead the way into wider and deeper sympathies. Some beliefs are like shadows, clouding children’s days with fears of unknown calamities. Other beliefs are like sunshine blessing children with the warmth of happiness. Some beliefs are divisive, separating the saved from the unsaved, friends from enemies. Other beliefs are bonds in a world community, where sincere differences beautify the pattern. Some beliefs are like blinders, shutting off the power to choose one’s own direction. Some beliefs are like gateways opening wide vistas for exploration. Some beliefs weaken a person’s selfhood. They blight the growth of resourcefulness. Other beliefs nurture self-confidence and enrich the feeling of personal worth. Some beliefs are rigid, like the body of death, impotent in a changing world. Other beliefs are pliable, like the young sapling, ever growing with the upward thrust of life.

—Sophia Lyon Fahs

We can’t blame the children for not telling us. They are powerless in every sphere. It was not that long ago when children were cautioned not to speak unless spoken to. Children don’t vote, to quote many a child advocate. To be sure, there are dedicated organizations . . . and individuals who push hard for children’s rights, but the US has a history of granting “rights” to adults at the expense of children.